Is Leonard the new best player of the league?

[Tr1boy]

can I get back to you on this... nevermind.. YES!!!

Lol

[Ogaju]

I think Durant is the best player. Leonard has been amazing this post-season, but I've seen enough games of him this year that were nothing special. A lot of people were ready to call Antetokounmpo the best player, but I wanted to see if he could sustain his production in the playoffs and I found it a bit disappointing. My top 15 right now is:

1. Kevin Durant
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
3. Stephen Curry
4. Kawhi Leonard
5. James Harden
6. Anthony Davis
7. Nikola Jokic
8. LeBron James
9. Joel Embiid
10. Paul George
11. Blake Griffin
12. Kyrie Irving
13. Damian Lillard
14. Karl-Anthony Towns
15. Jimmy Butler

nobody knows if Durant is the best...since he decided to join a superteam

How is giannis better than leonard??

Leonard came through and Giannis did not.  Giannis inability to shoot, prevents him from being the best imo

He struggled quite a bit in games 4,5,6 with less than 5 mins.  Raptors took away the open lane, and Giannis was "stuck"

lol where is Doncic?

[Green-18]

I thought he was the best overall player even before his injury. I wrote in such fashion back then.

As did I. Before Zaza took him out I thought San Antonio had that series.

I also believed he was the best prior to the injury.  I think he's going to be the clear cut best player for the next 5+ years as long as he remains healthy.

[Briantir]

if Kawhi averages 35,7,10 in the finals on 50/40/90 he wins finals MVP and a championship...

where do we put him then?

[Never Nervous Pervis]

Let's revisit this in a couple of weeks.  He and Curry have both offered up compelling arguments these last few weeks.

Leonard is a much better defender than Curry

Sure.  It won't matter, though, if Steph dominates the Finals like he's capable of.  He's reminding us all that he doesn't need Durant to win, and if anything, looks more dominant without him.

Curry has definitely stepped up in Durant's absence (everyone has, that's where they're great) but KD's a far superior all-around player (defense, rebounding, shot-blocking) and is the clear number one in that lineup.

A good case can be made that Kawhi is on KD's level after this playoff run, though. He's doing everything for that team.

[gouki88]

if Kawhi averages 35,7,10 in the finals on 50/40/90 he wins finals MVP and a championship...

where do we put him then?

He'd have to be top 2 at worst, right?

Plus if he averages that he would perhaps be the owner of the best individual playoff run since MJ.

[RockinRyA]

I thought he was the best overall player even before his injury. I wrote in such fashion back then.

As did I. Before Zaza took him out I thought San Antonio had that series.

I also believed he was the best prior to the injury.  I think he's going to be the clear cut best player for the next 5+ years as long as he remains healthy.

I agree.

[ozgod]

If he leads Toronto to their first championship I think everyone would have to say yes. But he's got at least one other candidate, possibly two, for that honor standing in his way in Curry and Durant. We'll see what happens after two weeks.

[Green-18]

If he leads Toronto to their first championship I think everyone would have to say yes. But he's got at least one other candidate, possibly two, for that honor standing in his way in Curry and Durant. We'll see what happens after two weeks.

Fair or not, I simply can't rank Durant ahead of Leonard.  Durant has a great argument as the best player if we compare his skill set to the rest of the league.  The problem for me is that I place a lot of value on playoff performance against equal or better competition.  His 3 seasons in Golden State have him stuck in neutral.  There simply hasn't been many opportunities for him to elevate his game in a true pressure situation. 

Leonard's individual performance throughout this post-season is arguably more impressive than any playoffs run of KD's career.  Just to be clear, this is more about crediting Leonard than bashing Durant.  Kawhi is a top 5 scorer and arguably the best defensive player in the entire league.  Guys like that just don't come around very often.

There's still plenty of time for KD to enhance his legacy as an All-Time great.  For this to happen he must leave Golden State and win a title by going through a team that is equal or better in talent. 

[Moranis]

No.

[jambr380]

I think we're at the point where any of Steph, KD, Kawhi, harden, and giannis can make the argument that they're the best and the answer depends on the circumstances each of them is in.

It's a good situation for the league.

I generally agree with this. If that shot doesn't miraculously fall against the Sixers in game 7 (and the Sixers go on to win in OT), nobody is talking about how Kawhi is the clear #1 in the league. He is certainly in the top few players, though; I think it is great that there is no current hands-down best.

[td450]

I still think Durant and Giannis are better but Durant has been hurt, and Kawhi was the perfect guy to take down Giannis this time with a couple of breaks. Kawhi will likely look like the top dog after this post season, but I doubt it will last.

For the most part, the Bucks shooting collapsed around Giannis. It still bugs me that Middleton torched us but disappeared against Toronto. Giannis is only 24. He needed this experience. Both he and his coach needed to make some complex adjustments, and they just couldn't. I have little doubt he'll be ready next time. Toronto has great defenders all around, and Kawhi was amazing.

[fairweatherfan]

Lately the unofficial best player mantle goes to the superstar who's most dominant in the playoffs. LeBron wasn't the best regular season player in the league the last couple of years but put up absurd numbers in the playoffs and kept the rep.  Kawhi's trajectory is similar - a regular season superstar but limited games kept him from being a top-tier MVP candidate, now going nuclear in a Finals run.  I think the answer could change in the next 2 weeks but he's the guy right now.

[SHAQATTACK]

Can be , if he can be 100 % healthy , like when he used to lock down Lebron on the Heat .  Yeah he is the best combo defensive and offensive player.

Im concerned hes got a bad hip yet .  Maybe premature wear . he could have a shorted carreer

[Sophomore]

Can be , if he can be 100 % healthy , like when he used to lock down Lebron on the Heat .  Yeah he is the best combo defensive and offensive player.

Im concerned hes got a bad hip yet .  Maybe premature wear . he could have a shorted carreer

Yeah, he did a fair amount of limping and grimacing during the Bucks series. Hope he’s alright. If he carries them to the title he has to be considered the best player in the game.